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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24990844">Bodyguard</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/amukmuk/pseuds/amukmuk'>amukmuk</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:07:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,651</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24990844</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/amukmuk/pseuds/amukmuk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Commander Fox is in charge of many, many things that keep the people of Coruscant safe. But when he becomes the lead for Senator Chuchi's security detail, feelings are felt.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Riyo Chuchi/CC-1010 | Fox</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>184</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>442</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Shattered Glass</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Most people would say that Commander Fox is a glorified flimsi-weight. Created for greatness, forced into a clerical nightmare. He would argue otherwise; in fact, he has on several occasions. His stupid, yet beloved, brothers frequently tease him about how he is left on Coruscant while they go out and save the galaxy from Separtist clutches. What they don’t know, however, is that there is plenty here to do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes, plenty here to do indeed, as he forges Chancellor Palpatine’s signature for what feels like the thousandth time today. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox wipes his hands down his face. He has a migraine coming on, staring at endless streams of datapads and flimsi-work tends to do that to a clone. There had been protestors outside of the senate building today, which had ultimately dissolved into riots, which ultimately meant more forms needed to be filled out. </span>
</p><p><span>And </span><em><span>stars</span></em> <em><span>forbid</span></em><span> the Chancellor lift one of his arthritic fingers to sign any of this fucking, waste of time, no good - </span></p><p>
  <span>“Commander, there has been an incident.” His comlink chirps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tries not to groan. “Go ahead, Thire.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s been an assasination attempt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sits up on his chair. “Establish a perimeter, secure any points of entry. Is the senator okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes sir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who was it this time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator Chuchi, sir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Senator Riyo Chuchi sits on the plush velvet couch clutching a blanket around her shoulders. The wind from city traffic whips through the now shattered window. Looking at the shards of transparisteel, she can practically hear the impact of the sniper bolt hitting a mere breath from her head. She shudders and it has nothing to do with the chilly night air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll be okay,” Padmé says, rubbing circles on her back. “I know it’s intimidating right now, but they’ll catch the person behind this and everything will be okay.” Riyo knows that this isn’t Padmé’s first go-around with assassins, but it’s hers and right now it doesn’t feel like everything is going to be okay. Not by a long shot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senators,” A clone enters wearing mostly red armor and a skirt. Riyo straightens and nods. “I’m CC-1010, I’m going to escort Senator Chuchi to a safe house while we get to the bottom of this.” He’s extremely formal, standing at parade rest with his hands tucked tightly behind his back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Riyo says and she swears she sees him stiffen. “What should I pack?” She asks. “Are we staying on Coruscant?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, ma’am,” he answers with a tight nod. When he offers nothing else in way of explanation, she rises to collect her things. Packing for something like this is nearly impossible. There is no telling how long she will be gone nor how often she will be in the public eye. She decides that practicality is probably the best option in this instance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll help you,” Padmé offers and they leave the formal sitting room and go into her bedroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thanked him. Senator Riyo Chuchi </span>
  <em>
    <span>thanked </span>
  </em>
  <span>him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox is at a loss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shakes his head and gets down to business. “Thire!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Said clone falls in almost immediately. “Yes, sir?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything on the security cams?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re still checking sir. The assassin used a sniper rifle of some sort. Bolt nearly hit the Senator in the head. We have calculated a trajectory, narrowing it down between a handful of buildings and floors, but still working on any footage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a nod, Fox states, “I’m going to take the Senator to a safe house. I want a squad outside at all hours. I’ll send you the coordinates over a secure line when we get settled.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, sir.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Senator Chuchi emerges from her bedroom holding a suitcase and looking, for the first time since he met her, very </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> scared. Her golden eyes are wide and dart from clone to clone. “Are you ready, Senator?” Fox asks. Next to him, Thire snaps his heels together and executes a perfect about face before exiting to harrang troopers into their first watch of the Senator. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” she nods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the speeder, racing off to an unknown destination, Riyo can’t help but twist her hands anxiously in her lap. Her heart is racing and every time she closes her eyes, she sees the window shattering and the blaster bolt impacting the wall behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Commander, I don’t think I caught your name earlier,” she says. She can’t be within her own mind right now, it’s far too scary of a place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“CC-1010.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that what you preferred to be called or do you have a name? I know Commander Thorn prefers his name over his number.” She watches him as he maneuvers the endless current of traffic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fox.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is a nice name,” she compliments. His shoulders tighten up to his ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods. “May I ask how you chose that name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’d like to, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This makes her smile. “How did you choose the name ‘Fox’?”’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t. My brothers named me that during training on Kamino.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” she answers. “And you like it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods. “Yes, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighs. “I’m named after my great-grandmother. I hated my name at first, but now I like it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s very nice, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughs and he glances over at her quickly. She can tell because his bucket swivels to her and then snaps back to flying. “Yes, I suppose it is. I couldn’t think of a name for myself now, if I wanted to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stays silent at that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… why red?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, ma’am?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did you paint your armor red?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the color Chancellor Palpatine requested, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh… so you don’t get to pick the color?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She huffs a sigh. “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>can </span>
  </em>
  <span>call me Riyo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s against protocol, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sighs again and looks back out to the city. Everything is moving and bustling as if nothing has happened. As if she didn’t almost just die. Strange, how life works like that. Just because one ends, that does not mean that the rest of the galaxy pauses for a moment of silence. It makes her think, suddenly, of all the clones that have died for the republic and not a single citizen has stopped to give them a moment of silent remembrance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She supposes that if they did, there would never be another sound on Coruscant ever again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox pulls the speeder up to an apartment building she has never seen before and steps out. He briskly walks around to her side and pulls open the door for her. “This way ma’am.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clutching her suitcase like it is a life preserver, Riyo follows the clone commander into the building and over to the elevator. To her surprise, they go down. Living in the upper levels of Coruscant, she has grown used to constantly taking lifts up, up, up until she only sees clouds. Now, they travel to the belly of the building and she is not surprised when the apartment presented to her has no windows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She should find it shockingly different, every building she has ever been in since she was elected Senator has been covered in windows. Instead, she finds it soothing. The thought of a window sends shivers down her spine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know this is much more… basic, than what you’re used to,” Commander Fox began. “But it guarantees your safety.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long will I have to stay here?” She asks, taking in the sparse furniture arrangement. She doesn’t mind, not really. It almost reminds her of home on Pantora, before she was elected and before she lived a life of luxury. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Until we find the assassin, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods. “Will you be staying?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shifts his weight between his feet and gives a sharp nod. “Yes ma’am. Until Thire arrives with a squad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sets her bag down. “In that case, perhaps I can make us some tea.” She wants to keep her hands busy, keep her mind from replaying tonight’s events. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ma’am?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well if you’re staying, it would be quite rude of me not to offer you a refreshment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I - I appreciate that, ma’am, but I’ll have to decline.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” She asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He freezes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it against protocol as well?” She prompts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, he shakes his head. “Not that I know of, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excellent. What blend do you prefer?” She moves into the kitchen and begins rummaging through the cabinets. He’s silent for a long moment and she assumes that he is thinking when he finally answers, she’s shocked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never had tea before, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stands bolt upright and looks at his red-painted helmet. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just caf ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well perhaps I can put on a pot of caf then,” she goes back to her search. Pots, pans, boxes of meal replacement cubes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t you like to turn in for the night?” His voice sounds strained and she looks back up and over to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Commander Fox, I’m sure you understand, but I will not be returning to bed for the rest of the evening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods once and mutters, “That I </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>understand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gives him a pained smile and returns to her search. “Ah ha!” She exclaims after peering in an overhead cabinet. It’s far too tall, and just can’t quite reach it. She swats at the bag of caf, but it is hopelessly out of reach. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Allow me, ma’am,” Fox says from behind her. She flinches at his proximity, not because it is unwelcome, but because it is unexpected. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With the ease of someone measuring that of genetic perfection, he reaches up and effortlessly apprehends the bag of caf. Wordlessly, he hands it to her with great care to make sure their fingers don’t brush. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I owe you my thanks twice this evening, Commander.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He only nods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turns to the caf machine and asks, “Do you prefer your caf on the strong side?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She swears that she hears him snort. “Yes, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too,” she smiles, but keeps her eyes on the machine in front of her. “Though I do prefer mine with sugar.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There should be some in that cabinet over there.” She glances over her shoulder just in time to see him pointing at the aforementioned location. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh wonderful.” Finishing her task, she moves over to grab the sugar. Within minutes, the caf is brewed. “Now I need to find cups,” she sighs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stepping behind her, he opens a cabinet and hands her two porcelain cups. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My thanks again, Commander.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you take any sugar?” She asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hesitates. “Not usually, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I highly recommend it. Who enjoys drinking hot bean water when you can add a spoonful of sugar?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well if you recommend it, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Commander, I know it’s protocol, but if we are going to share a pot of caf, I must insist that you refer to me by my name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fox.” She tries her best to give him a no-nonsense look, but she has never been very good at being firm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes… Riyo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.” She hands him his cup of caf with a spoonful of sugar and takes hers out into the sparsely furnished living room. The room itself is painted off-white and the couch is a terribly drab olive. Yes, this is just like her old hole-in-the-wall apartment on Pantora. Fox stands awkwardly between the kitchen and living room, cup of caf in hand, bucket still securely sitting upon his head. “You can sit if you like,” she offers. There is a worn armchair next to the couch and a small, durasteel coffee table between the two. Silently, he moves to the chair and sits. He places the caf on the table and removes his helmet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon seeing his face, Riyo is struck into silence. She’s not certain if she has ever seen a helmetless clone this close up before. He looks much more like a man than she was expecting, and she’s not certain why this is so surprising. He has a small scar on his chin, a perfect military haircut, and deep brown eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He takes a sip of his caf and she smiles. “Well? How do you like the sugar?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Definitely more tolerable than what we get in the mess.” She can see him struggle to not address her as ‘ma’am’ again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, there is a knock at the door and Riyo flinches so hard she nearly drops her cup. Fox is not nearly as startled and he moves to the door to look out of the peephole. After the several locks on the door are undone, it whirls open, revealing another red-painted clone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thire,” Fox greets. “I was starting to wonder what was taking you so long.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, sir. I have six men set up in perimeter as well as two ready to stand guard if you want them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Negative, have them stand in here. We don’t want to alert anyone that there is someone being guarded in here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thire salutes and exits. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox returns into the living room and stands formally at parade rest. “I’ll be leaving you in Commander Thire’s capable hands, Senator. Is there anything else you will be needing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Commander. Thank you again for all you have done. I am truly indebted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a nod, he slips his helmet back on, turns sharply on his heel - skirt flowing - and exits. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Blue Flames</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It has been nearly two weeks since the assassination attempt and to say that Riyo Chuchi is restless would be an understatement. She has read every article on her datapad, answered every email. She has even dusted the safe house. Twice. Even with the very frequent and detailed updates from Commander Fox, she can take this no longer. </p><p>“Sergeant Puck,” Riyo begins. Sergeant Puck is a replacement for Commander Thire who got called away to deal with <em> another </em> assassination attempt for a different senator. The Sergeant, much stiffer - and she didn’t think this was possible - than the commanders, is standing by the door, refusing to sit. He hasn’t even taken off his helmet since joining her in the apartment. “How much longer am I going to be forced to live like this?”</p><p>“Until they find the assassin, ma’am.”</p><p>She valiantly refrains from rolling her eyes. “Well I have had quite enough of this.”</p><p>“Ma’am?”</p><p>“There is an important bill I must vote on and I will not cower like a spooked tooka-cat.”</p><p>“Ma’am, that really isn’t the best decision.” She tries really hard to ignore the quiver in his voice. He sounds positively terrified to boss her around, but this has gone on long enough. The assassin was probably trying to scare her out of voting and she would not stand to be painted as a coward to her people who voted her into office. </p><p>“I’m going to pack my things and I fully expect you to take me to my apartment.”</p><p>“Senator, I-” </p><p>She holds up her hand. “If Commander Fox gives you a hard time, please direct him to me. Ready a speeder, I am returning to my apartment as soon as possible.”</p><p>~</p><p>“She’s what!?” Fox barks into his comlink. </p><p>“She is insisting upon returning to her apartment. She said if you had an issue with it, to take it up with her.”</p><p>Oh he’s going to take it up with her, alright. Were all Senators bound and determined to give him an aneurysm? First, Amidala, with her insistence upon carrying a blaster and defending herself - as if that didn’t break <em> multiple </em> safety regulations for senatorial gatherings. Coruscant Guard and Jedi are the only ones permitted to carry a weapon within the Senate building, for obvious reasons. If Senators were able to carry weapons, Fox is fairly certain that general assemblies would go much, <em> much </em> , differently. Then there is Deechi, constantly travelling underworld and getting into all sorts of trouble in order to quench some of his more precarious thirsts. Then there is the feud between Nudo and Dod; they can’t sit together at any event (which Fox makes seating charts for) they can’t take the same transport (which Fox arranges) and they can’t be escorted at the same time by the same trooper (which Fox <em> also </em> organizes). The list of migraine-inducing, senatorial bantha shit is parsecs long at this point. </p><p>So, yeah, he is definitely going to take it up with Senator Chuchi. Her security is his job and if her head is too thick to accept that, then he is going to have to give her the <em> talk </em>. The same talk that he gives each stubborn, self-righteous, senator. </p><p>Listen to him, or die. </p><p>Okay, in actuality it isn’t that life or death, but Senators are naturally over dramatic people. Using such theatrical speeches tend to convince them, unlike calculated approaches introducing numbers and statistics. They simply brush him off - what would he know? He’s just a clone, after all. </p><p>His fists clench at the thought. For some stupid, fantastical reason, he had thought that Chuchi was different. On several occasions, while he was guarding senate assembly meetings, she would smile at him, or when she was leaving she would tell him to have a good day. Apparently, he was wrong about that assumption.</p><p> “I’ll be there to ‘take it up with her’ within the hour, Puck,” he snarls into the comlink and shuts it off. </p><p>He’s behind on paperwork, has a senate assembly to babysit today and now, <em> now </em> he has to go tell off another nerf-brained senator. </p><p>His day is off to a great <em> fucking </em> start. </p><p>~</p><p>He probably knocks on her door a little too hard. </p><p>The door slides open and reveals Senator Chuchi, golden eyes wide and her mauve hair flowing down her shoulders in perfectly sculpted waves. “Ah, Commander Fox, do come in,” she greets, stepping aside. </p><p>“Senator Chuchi,” he nods firmly, following her living room. “I believe we agreed that you would <em> stay </em>in the safe house until the assassin was caught.”</p><p>“Yes, we did,” she pours what he assumes is tea into a cup. “But I can’t take it anymore.”</p><p>“Ma’am, I know the safe house is bare and not that luxurious, but I really must insist.”</p><p>“Oh, I have no problem with the furnishings,” she says idly, stirring sugar into her tea. </p><p>Not much catches him off guard, but this does. “Y-you don’t?”</p><p>“No.” She sets the spoon down with a faint ‘ting’. </p><p>“Then <em> why </em>won’t you stay there?” He tries to keep the exasperation out of his voice, he really does. He would pinch his nose if it weren’t for his bucket. </p><p>She finally looks up to him and the ferocity in her voice could convince masses of free men to go to war. “Because I will not live my life in fear when I have a duty to my people. When I speak in the senate, I speak for my entire planet. I will not let my voice be silenced by some thug. No one will have that power over me.”</p><p>The air between them is charged and Fox can’t think of a single thing to say. She doesn’t break eye-contact with him. Even through his bucket, she stares him down and, for a brief moment, he wonders if it is even on his head or if it is tucked under his arm. “Senator, I admire your bravery, but you really need to consider the fact that this person may silence your voice forever if given the opportunity.”</p><p>“That is a risk I am willing to take. I have a very important vote coming up. I will not let my people think that I am too scared to show my face, that I am too concerned with my own safety when the bill I am voting on directly affects their lives. My life is not worth anymore than theirs.” </p><p>He doesn’t have a response to that. Her reasoning seems sound enough to him. Fox has - on several occasions, one of which resulting in a nasty scar on his thigh - put himself in harm’s way in order to protect his men. But this is different and if she’s not going to listen to reason, then maybe she will listen to theatrics. “Senator, I’m the highest decorated commander in the army. I was handpicked for this position because I’m the best of the best. On a monthly basis, I prevent hundreds of assassination attempts. You want to know how? Because the people I’m in charge of listen to me. Either you listen, Senator Chuchi, and you follow my orders regarding your safety, or you are assassinated like everyone else who doesn’t.”</p><p>“I congratulate you on your several medals, Commander, however that does not change my mind. If you are the best, then I’m sure you can help me find a way to be safe without jeopardizing my morals. I will not cower in the face of danger.” Her golden eyes stare him down relentlessly. If he were a lesser man, he might squirm. </p><p>Instead, he ignores the flame flickering in his stomach. Her determination is fierce, and the look in her eye, well, it makes him wish he was Pantoran so he could build a monument in her honor. </p><p>“Then let’s compromise,” he offers. Vaguely, in some recessed part of his mind, he hopes that his brothers never find out about those three words that just left his mouth. They will never let him live down the day that the unbreakable Fox finally cowed down - to a Senator, no less.</p><p>She moves to sit on her couch and motions for him to take the chair. “I’m listening.”</p><p>Easing himself into the violet chair, he doesn’t begin right away. He situates himself comfortably and slips off his helmet so that he can maintain hard eye contact with her. If she wants to have a stare down, then they are going to play fair. “One more week in the safe house. I’m going to need time to prepare a task force that can watch you 24/7. Commander Thorn has gone off with Senator Amidala and has taken several of my men who I would normally use for an operation like this. Once I have established that task force, I will remove you from the safe house and back here. You’ll be escorted to every event, every meeting. Guards will stand outside in the evening. There will not be one moment of your day where you won’t be supervised.” </p><p>She considers this and says, “Three more days in the safe house.”</p><p>“Three?” He scoffs. “Six.”</p><p>“Four.”</p><p>“Five.” </p><p>She takes a long sip from her tea. “Who will lead this operation?” </p><p>“To be determined.”</p><p>“Well, Commander Fox,” she stands and he does the same. Upon reaching his full height, he has to bend his head down significantly in order to maintain eye contact. “I’m putting my life in your hands, I’m sure you won’t let me down.” </p><p>“As long as you follow my rules, I promise your safety will be guaranteed, ma’am.”</p><p>She smirks and his heart lurches. “Five more days in the safe house, and then I will be the most obedient Senator you have ever met.”</p><p>He nods, turns on his heel - kama swishing as he does - and takes his leave. Somehow, he thinks things are going to be far more complicated than she lets on. </p><p>~</p><p>“You asked to see me, Chancellor?” Fox asks as he enters the Supreme Chancellor’s chambers. He has never liked being in here. He’s not certain what it is, but every time he speaks to the chancellor alone, he is suddenly overwhelmed by a near debilitating wave of nausea. </p><p>“Ah, yes Commander, please sit.”</p><p>Fox stiffly crosses the room and eases into one of the over plush chairs across from the Chancellor’s desk. The chair sits so low that Fox finds himself staring directly at the Chancellor’s chest. He cranes his neck in order to make eye contact. </p><p>“I heard that Senator Chuchi will be returning back to work next week?”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>The Chancellor eases back in his looming desk chair, steepling his fingers in front of him, and stares down his nose at Fox. “I understand that you are preparing a task force in charge of protecting her until the vote?”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>“I would like you to lead that task force.”</p><p>“S-sir?” Fox sputters. Fox is in charge of <em> everything </em>. The only reason he gets at least two hours of sleep a night is because he has mastered the art of delegation and has an excellent team in which to delegate. </p><p>“Her safety is of utmost importance right now, Commander. I’m sure you understand.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>“Have Commander Stone replace you for the time being. I want your sole priority to be Senator Chuchi’s safety.”</p><p>And <em> there </em> is the nausea. Stone will love this. Replaceable, like a lost piece of flimsiwork in a sea of forms. Clearly this old coot has no idea what <em> exactly </em> Fox does on a daily basis. “Yes, sir," he grinds out.</p><p>The Chancellor rises and he does the same. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need to make a few calls.”</p><p>~</p><p>Day five rolls around way too fast. Fox has just managed to put two teams together, one for day time, one for night time. During the day, Fox will be her lead bodyguard, the one who stays near her side - the one who will take the blaster bolt if it comes to that. Puck and Stride will flank them, help provide cover fire if needed, and Ozone will be their driver. During the night, Aero will be in a sniper’s nest, Woods will be stationed outside of her door, and Reese will be inside. Finally, Fox himself, Cam, and Repo are in charge of actually getting to the bottom of her case and finding the assassin. If Fox is lucky, he might even have time to sleep at some point. </p><p>He goes into the safe house and knocks twice on the apartment door. It is answered by Steel, who immediately salutes. </p><p>Shiny. </p><p>“Senator Chuchi, are you ready?” Fox calls from the doorway. </p><p>Said senator emerges and Fox takes her in - he may need to have a conversation about appropriate wardrobe requirements of a target. What she is wearing will not allow for a speedy get away, if necessary. Her lilac hair is twisted up into an updo that seems to defy all laws of physics and she wears an ornate golden headpiece. Her petite frame is covered in thick, navy robes - which could easily be tripped over - but when her eyes meet his, his heart stutters. </p><p>What is <em> wrong </em>with him? </p><p>“Yes, Commander. I’m quite ready to go home now.”</p><p>He exits and she follows closely behind him. </p><p>~</p><p>Being home is scarier than she thought it would be. Five days ago, she had been home for about an hour before Fox charged in and attempted to give her a scolding that would rival one of her mother’s, but that hour hadn’t been enough time for the overwhelming sense of dread to settle. Now, she stands in her quarters and her stomach churns with anxiety. Everything is the same, but different. The window has been repaired and the apartment cleaned, all evidence of an assassination attempt gone. </p><p>Even the blaster bolt hole in the plaster has been covered up. </p><p>“Everything okay, Senator?” Fox asks from behind her. His thick accent shattering her waking nightmare like the bolt through the window that night. </p><p>“Yes, quite. So… now what?” She asks, setting her bag down. </p><p>“Now, you try to ignore me and live your life as normally as possible,” he states dryly. </p><p>“Well that will be nearly impossible,” she smiles. It’s true, though. Commander Fox towers over her, and if she were a lesser woman she might be intimidated. No, instead she finds herself intrigued. Who is the man under the armor? Surely, if he lives and breathes and fights for the protection of her fellow senators, he must also have thoughts, aspirations, and dreams, right? </p><p>“I’m sorry for any inconvenience, ma’am,” Fox apologizes, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. </p><p>“Fox, I was only teasing. Can I get you anything? Caf?” She moves into her kitchen. It is much larger and better stocked than that of the safe house. </p><p>“No, ma’am.”</p><p>“What did I say about calling me ma’am?” Riyo calls from the kitchen. </p><p>“To not to.” She smiles, he sounds almost childish. </p><p>“Exactly.” She puts the pot on with enough to provide for both of them. She knows he refused a cup, but if she were the commander of the entire Coruscant Guard, her bloodstream would probably consist mostly of caf. She re-emerges from the kitchen and sees him standing by the window with his helmet tucked under his arm. With the golden light of the mid-morning streaming through the window, he almost looks angelic. There are tales of angels on Pantora. They protect pilots, flying high in the atmosphere just between space and leading them down to a safe landing. Up until this moment of her life, she was certain she had never seen one before. </p><p>“Fox, please make yourself at home. I know you’ll be staying with me until after the vote.”</p><p>“I’m fine, ma’am.” </p><p>She arches an eyebrow at him. </p><p>“I’m fine, <em> Riyo </em>,” he corrects. </p><p>“Well unfortunately, or fortunately I guess, I don’t have any meetings today. We get to stay safe and secure in the apartment all day.”</p><p>“I know,” he nods. “If you could send me your weekly schedule, that would be very helpful in organizing the men.”</p><p>“Anything you need, Commander.”</p><p>He tilts his head at her, a smirk playing at his lips. </p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>“I’m not allowed to call you Senator, but you can call me Commander?”</p><p>She laughs. “I suppose you are right. Anything you need, <em> Fox </em>.”</p><p>~</p><p>In the peaceful quiet of her apartment, he actually gets a lot done. He sits on her couch, bucket resting beside him, hunched over so that he can work on the coffee table. The senator is curled up in her armchair, brow furrowed as she reads whatever reports have been sent to her. As the day progressed into evening, her hair had gone from perfectly pinned within a golden headpiece to the headpiece removed, to her hair unpinned entirely, and now it is pulled high above her head in a knot, some wild strands framing her face. </p><p>She huffs a breath and looks up at him. He quickly averts his eyes. </p><p>“I’m hungry.”</p><p>He has been ignoring his own stomach pangs for about a standard hour now. “I could eat,” he says dismissively. </p><p>“I’m afraid I’m a terrible cook. I am horribly dependent upon take out.”</p><p>“I’m not much of a cook either. We just eat ration cubes.”</p><p>“Then lets order something.” She stands abruptly, darting into her kitchen, and pulls a few pieces of flimsi from her kitchen drawer. “I have menus from my favorite places, but if you’re in the mood for something else, let me know.”</p><p>Fox stares at his booted feet. He can’t remember the last time he had <em> actual </em> food. He was trained to eat nothing but ration cubes, meal replacement packs, and gods only know what protein paste they serve in the mess. “You pick,” he offers. </p><p>“Are you sure?” She asks. </p><p>“Yeah. I’ll eat anything.” True statement. He’s never had a lot of alien food before, but he’s fairly certain he can eat whatever Riyo eats. It’s not like Rex who made the same decision while out with Commander Tano - poor bastard got stuck with a raw nerf-burger. </p><p>He hears her rustling around in the kitchen and then she returns, folding herself back up in her arm chair. She’s so small. Her socked feet tuck neatly up underneath her, buried under the flowing blue dress she is wearing. It’s hard to think that anyone would want to hurt her. He turns back to his datapad to avoid staring. </p><p><em> What is wrong with you, Fox? Get your shit together </em>. </p><p>They work together quietly, him signing form after form after form and her… doing whatever it is that senators do - which at the moment looks to be a lot of scowling. Suddenly, there is a knock at her door and she drops her datapad when she flinches. “Oh I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Stay here, I’ll get it.” He slips his bucket on and goes to the door. </p><p>She doesn’t argue with him, something he appreciates. The delivery boy gives him a weird look, but hands the bag of food over nonetheless. Of course, how often do clones order takeout? They don’t even get paid. He hands the bag to her and she makes quick work of dividing their food. </p><p>“I hope you like noodles,” she offers with a small smile. </p><p>He honestly doesn’t know. He’s never had a noodle before. </p><p>Taking a tentative bite, his mouth is suddenly shocked with the explosion of flavor. “Wow,” he murmurs. </p><p>“Do you like it?” </p><p>“Yeah, it’s really good.”</p><p>They eat in silence that is neither awkward nor comfortable. It is simply a silence that falls due to two hungry people devouring their food.</p><p>“May I ask you a question?” She asks after she puts the lid back on her empty container. </p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“Why do you have a skirt attached to your belt?”</p><p>He sighs. “It’s not a skirt.”</p><p>She smiles in a way that can only be described as playful. “It certainly looks like a skirt.”</p><p>“It’s called a <em> kama </em>,” he corrects her with extra emphasis on the proper term. </p><p>“I see,” she smiles and begins putting the trash into the now empty bag. “Well, I’m going to read through this bill a little more and then I will probably retire. Will you be staying here?”</p><p>“No. Reese will be here at 2300.”</p><p>She nods slowly. “And what time will you be here tomorrow?”</p><p>“I’ll be here at 0600. We will discuss safety procedures and your security detail prior to departing for your meeting at 0700.”</p><p>She grins and gives him a sloppy and incorrect salute. He wants to correct her, but she is a senator and he is a clone. Instead he turns back to his datapad and continues reading reports of various arrests made throughout the city, nothing quite matches the description they have of the sniper. She quietly goes back to reading and he risks a quick glance at her. Her brows are furrowed once more, and her lilac lips are pursed. He wants to ask what she is reading, but thinks better of it and returns to his own reading. </p><p>~ </p><p>Riyo is sad to see Commander Fox leave. At exactly 2300, Reese enters and stands guard by the door. She’s not saying that Fox is less of a guard, no absolutely not, but she really wishes that the trooper would relax just a little. Perhaps sit instead of stand or at least remove his helmet. </p><p>“I’m going to retire,” she announces, standing. </p><p>“I’ll stand out here, ma’am.” Reese snaps his heels together. </p><p>Riyo moves from the living room and into her bedroom. It’s simple, but she likes it. Her bed is centered along the back wall, which features a painting of the Pantoran marshes. Sun filters through the viney trees and mossy land, causing a small rainbow across the upper left hand corner of the picture. Sucking in a deep breath, Riyo squashes down her longing for home. She no longer feels safe here on Coruscant even with her protective detail. No, that is not entirely true. </p><p>Commander Fox has a surprisingly calming effect on her. She’s not sure what it is, whether it is his insistence on formality, yet he sits and shares noodles with him, or if it is that he is the best of the best, hand selected as he had so boldly stated. </p><p>With a small smile, she steps in front of her vanity and begins brushing out her hair. It’s truly interesting that Commander Fox would have chosen this detail, not when she is just one Senator and he is in charge of so many others. She has read his security briefings for almost every meeting which she has attended and every time she is struck by the extreme attention to detail he demonstrates. If it were handwritten, every ‘t’ would be crossed and every ‘i’ dotted. </p><p>She settles into bed and is not surprised to find that sleep does not come easily. The world outside hums too loudly and the lights shine too brightly. The window itself nearly sends her into a spiral, and the fact that the blinds do not close all the way is enough to make her heart stop beating all together. </p><p>With a huff, she rolls over. Sleep does not come any easier on this side either. She counts tooka-cats, she imagines herself on a peaceful warm island. But in the end, the only thing that lulls her to sleep is the thought that she gets to see Fox in the morning, and then all will truly be well.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wow! Thank you all sooo much for the amazing feedback! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Multitude of Drops</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Senator Chuchi? Commander Fox is here,” Reese knocks quietly outside her room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will be there in just a moment, tell him to make himself comfortable,” she calls as she finishes pinning her hair up under her golden head piece. Her first meeting of the day is with Padmé (via holo, she is slated to return next week for the vote), Bail, and Mon - for which she is very grateful. Her first day back starts off with a meeting with friends, she could almost thank the heavens. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon exiting her room, she sees Commander Fox standing with his bucket tucked neatly under his arm. He is checking something on his datapad and doesn’t seem to notice or care that she has entered. “Commander,” she says by way of greeting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator,” he states without looking up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So it was the latter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, he looks up and hands the datapad off to a trooper nearby, Puck, she thinks. “Are you ready?” He asks, slipping his helmet back on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As ready as I’ll ever be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The meeting goes without incident, thank the gods. He knows that Senators Organa and Mothma are friends with Senator Chuchi, but still. The moment one lets their guard down is a moment that an attack can happen. Ever vigilant, Fox escorts her from one meeting hall to the general assembly where there will be more senatorial debates for about an hour - perhaps more. Fox steps into the elevator first, doing a quick once over to ensure that there is nothing nefarious going on and then allows for Riyo to enter. She does, murmuring a small ‘thank you’ that makes his chest swell. He has never been thanked for anything in his entire life and in the last few weeks that he has worked with Riyo she has thanked him more times than he can count. It makes him feel human. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That feeling is quickly dashed when Senator Deechi enters the elevator and shoves him into the corner. Fox doesn’t let it bother him but Riyo, in all her lack of vertical gain, puts her hands on her hips and stares down the Umbaran senator.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Move it, clone,” Deechi grumbles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox rolls his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Excuse </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Riyo bites, causing both of them to look down at her small blue form. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I help you, Chuchi?” He glares at her, but she doesn’t falter under his gaze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is </span>
  <em>
    <span>Commander </span>
  </em>
  <span>Fox you are addressing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox stiffens as the Umbaran senator looks from him, to Riyo, and then back to him. “My apologies, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Commander</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he practically spits. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No problem, sir,” Fox barely manages without stuttering. Fox isn’t a coward, no, but usually he just puts up with the Senate’s banthashit and moves on. Riyo has been the first person - first non-brother - ever in his life to stand up for him. He tries not to think about what that means - and he definitely tries not to notice the tidal wave of emotion that causes within him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they are alone in the elevator once again, and he is still reeling from the recent events, Senator Chuchi turns to him and sincerely apologizes. “Fox, I am incredibly sorry for that. You should not have to put up with that sort of behavior.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiles, but realizes she can’t see it. “No worries, Senator. It happens on the regular.” He offers a small shrug to try and show her he’s not bothered by it. Well he is, but honestly being told to ‘move it’ was probably the nicest thing a Senator has spat at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well it shouldn’t. You’re a person, no matter what everyone else says.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s a </span>
  <em>
    <span>person</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Amongst themselves, the clones refer to themselves as men, but never, not once has he ever heard someone else say that he was a person. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Senator Chuchi, always full of surprises. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Commander?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He suddenly realizes that he hasn’t said anything. “I think you may be the only person that thinks that, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One person who differs from the majority is enough to spark a revolution, Commander.” She states, with a smile quirking up the ends of her beautiful, lilac lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has several things he </span>
  <em>
    <span>should </span>
  </em>
  <span>say, several things about how revolutions are dangerous or how he isn’t deserving of personhood. Instead, he says something incredibly stupid. “If you start a revolution, I’ll be right behind you, ma’am, watching your six.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A full smile blooms on her lips. “Of that, Commander, I have no doubt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riyo collapses onto her couch kicking off her pinchy high heels with a soft groan. “Today felt like it lasted forever,” she sighs, pulling herself up to massage her aching feet. If there is one terrible thing about being a senator, it is the pinchy shoes. Padmé seems to be able to walk effortlessly in these monstrosities, but she is not used to it. Behind her, her fearless bodyguard remains silent. “Fox, are you hungry? I don’t think I saw you eat anything at lunch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shifts back and forth. “I’m fine, ma’ - Riyo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiles. “Well, I am positively famished. What are your thoughts towards take out again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really don’t need to feed me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I insist. It’s the least I can do.” She gets up and finds her datapad so that she can place an order. “What are your opinions towards soup?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t say that I have any,” Fox mutters, following her back over to the couch. He sits where he sat the other night and she settles next to him. She feels him stiffen beside her, but elects to ignore it, even if she wants to put a hand on his shoulder and tell him to relax. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about this? It looks spicy, do you like spicy food?” She looks up to him and smiles. “You can take off your helmet, if you feel like it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a nod, he does so and looks at the image of a reddish orange soup. “That does look good,” he comments plainly only for a growl to rip from his stomach so ferociously that she can’t help but giggle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why Fox, I thought you said you were fine?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blushing the shade of his armor, he says, “I was until I started thinking about food, ma’am.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m just teasing,” she laughs and places a friendly hand upon his shoulder plate. He looks down at her and she immediately withdrawals her hand. “I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks up at him. His deep brown eyes bore into hers and she tries to ignore the butterflies stirring in her stomach. He’s beautiful. His face features sharp angles, a wide nose, and deep dark eyes that she could get lost in. His lips are ever so slightly chapped and - </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks away, suddenly finding the carpet very interesting. “Thank you, for today. What you said to Deechi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I only did what was right.” She states and then scrutinizes the carpet as well. “What everyone should do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks over to her and when she meets his eyes, he simply murmurs. “Thank you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She squeezes his hand and gives him a smile before clearing her throat and turning back to her food order. “So dinner.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox storms into his office and nearly swipes all the datapads off his desk in his frustration. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What in the </span>
  </em>
  <span>nine Corellian hells</span>
  <span><em> is he</em> t</span>
  <span>hinking</span>
  <span>?? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What he is doing is flirting dangerously with misconduct. And with Senator Chuchi. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, he is toeing the line of breaking several, at least thirty, GAR regulations. He could be decommissioned for this. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He falls into his desk chair and puts his head in his hands. He just has to make it to the end of next week. The vote will be over and then he won’t be the head of her security detail and he doesn’t have to be around her all day every day. He won’t have to see the way her golden eyes glisten upon seeing him enter a room and he certainly won’t have to listen to her melodic giggle when she finds something he said particularly charming. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He groans. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucked</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, Commander,” Riyo smiles upon seeing him in her living room once again. They are rapidly approaching the end of their first week together. Every day, she has been elated to see her red-painted Commander and every night she has been disappointed to see him leave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator,” he nods. “Sleep well?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I slept well knowing that if I did, then it would be less time until I saw you again.” She grins and she swears she sees his brain stop functioning. He stiffens and she giggles. “How about you?” She grabs her shawl and makes her way out of the apartment. Fox lags behind for a moment and then is quick on her heels. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine. I slept fine.” He states, falling in beside her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should I ask you if you got the appropriate amount of sleep?” She asks with an arched brow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that would not be a good question to ask.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, when we get done with my morning meetings, I have an hour break - as I’m sure you know. I suggest we go to my favorite café.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know if that’s the safest idea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh come on, Fox. Live a little.” She smiles and he shakes his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you insist, Senator.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She elbows him and she thinks she hears him chuckle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This is probably the nicest place Fox has ever been in his short and brutal existence. Obviously, he has served as security at many swanky Senatorial dinners, but at those events he was nothing more than decoration to be gawked at or ignored. Now, now he has a beautiful senator on his arm, peering up at the menu behind the counter and he is not a decoration, he is a customer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you like?” Her slender fingers frame her chin as she stares the menu down as if it has committed some terrible offense against her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The sugar you put in my caf the other day wasn’t bad,” he admits, but he’s not certain if that really answers her question. He has never really had the time to think about what he likes or dislikes. Mostly he has been focused on not getting his men, any senators, or himself killed. He thinks that maybe he should start a list of things - especially if Riyo is going to ask him frequently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hums and nods. “How do you feel about a mocha?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has no idea what she’s talking about. “Sounds great.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And salad for lunch? Hmmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds great,” he repeats. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smirking, she looks up at him. “I think at this point you are just going along with everything I say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mhm, sounds great.” He smiles even though she can’t see it because he's enjoying himself for the first time since he and his batchmates - his brothers - were separated to lead their own battalions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughs and swats his bicep. “Well I guess if you hate whatever I order, it will be your own fault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To his list of likes he adds the sound of her laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe lunch will be added to his list of dislikes, but it will be worth it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shrugs in response. Standing here, in this fancy café on the upper levels of Coruscant, Fox suddenly becomes painfully aware of everyone staring at him. He’s not even certain if Riyo has noticed. Maybe she has, maybe she hasn’t. She may just be used to people staring at her all the time. She steps up to the counter and places the first part of her order. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The barista behind the counter tells her the total and Riyo interjects. “I’m sorry, I have another order.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arching their eyebrow, the barista casts Fox a look of utter skepticism. “We don’t sell ration cubes here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox rolls his eyes. He has become very good at taking the snide comments with just an eye roll. If he stiffens or moves his arm, people immediately assume that his ‘violent nature’ is kicking in and they scream. It had taken him exactly once to learn that lesson. Fucking dramatic senators. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riyo, her face suddenly stone, states, “Well I suppose it is a good thing that is not what I’m ordering, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The barista grumbles, but listens to Riyo as she states the rest of her order and hands over the credits to pay. Wordlessly, Riyo slips her hand around Fox’s bicep - something that utterly shocks him - and leads him to a table in the corner, far from the windows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sits across from her so that he can keep an eye on the door and the other windows. Just because the Senator is in the mood for her favorite restaurant does not mean that he gets to shirk his duties. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just cannot understand that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?” He asks, swiveling to look down at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They say backhanded things like you are not </span>
  <em>
    <span>human</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Like you do not </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> things. I just… I cannot comprehend it,” she settles with a huff and glares at the pattern on the table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?” The question leaves his mouth before he can think better of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Appalled, she reels back. “Why not? Why </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Because you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> human and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> feel things. Anyone who does not believe that… well they are just plain wrong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smile rises to his lips. “We appreciate your sentiments, Senator.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their food is delivered to their table and Fox takes it in. He doesn’t think he has seen so much green on a plate being served to him before. Slowly, he removes his helmet and sets it to the side. “This… looks really good,” he mutters. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiles. “I’m glad. Try your coffee.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He does as she asks and takes a sip of the cup. He is overwhelmed by a slightly bitter sweetness. “What is in this?” He asks her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chocolate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chocolate?” He takes another sip. He has never had chocolate before, but has heard about its deliciousness from some troopers who had been lucky enough to try some. “Thank you,” he says. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For this… for letting me feel human.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gives him a small nod. “For that, Fox, you will never have to thank me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May I ask what it is you are reading?” Senator Chuchi asks Fox. She is sitting in her chair and he sits on the edge of the couch closest to her, helmet removed. She wishes he would remove his armor, he looks so uncomfortable, but then again she supposes he is probably used to it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without looking up from his datapad he answers, “Casualty reports.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” She sits up straighter. Casualty reports? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, they aren’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually </span>
  </em>
  <span>called casualty reports. But that’s what they are.” She doesn’t miss the bitterness in his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her brow furrows. “What are they called?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finally looks up at her. “Property damage and expenditure required forms.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knows her mouth is hanging open like a caught fish, but she cannot even begin to comprehend this. Her living, breathing bodyguard is signing off on casualty reports that are filed under property damage and expenditure? Before she can vow to him to make a difference, to take a stand in the senate, he asks her what she is reading. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, just more about the farming legislation I’m voting on. It severely impacts the Pantoran people, but I’m trying to decide if it is a beneficial or negative effect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods. “Is this the one about forcing the marshland people to grow a high carb plant to create rations?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” she’s impressed that he has been paying attention in her meetings, but not surprised. “While the Republic will provide all the farmers - who have been struggling to make ends meet for quite some time - with stipends, I’m not sure if it is liveable. Not only this, but the crop will ruin the farm land for the next five years. It is a trade off. They have work and money now, but where will they be five years from now? The carbohydrate crop sucks all the nutrients out of the ground and it takes about five years for it to be plantable again.” She sighs. “That’s why this vote is so big. It directly affects the lives of my people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you asked the people what they want?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods. “I spoke with the Chairman and he wants us to plant the crop. He says that it is our duty to the GAR… but what about our duty to our people?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stays silent, his face carefully impassive. She knows that he thinks it is not his place. But… she is curious, so she asks, “What are your thoughts on this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This causes his eyes to widen with shock. “What do </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He is silent for a long moment and takes a long sip from his caf, probably to provide him time to think. She has seen Bail do this once or twice, but it is mostly done to cool his temper when someone particularly idiotic is spouting off. “I think that protecting your kin is the most important thing someone can do. Especially if they have the power to do so.” His face darkens and he looks away from her, finding a scuff on his otherwise white boot rather fascinating. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Commander Fox… I think you’re right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His head snaps up and they make eye contact. He is a rather beautiful man, inside and out. Despite being bred for war, he really grasps the meaning of family and the importance of protecting them. She thinks, suddenly, of all the family he has been unable to protect - of all the brothers he has lost. She wonders if he is the oldest or youngest, if he has brothers he is closer to than others. Silently, because she can’t even begin to express the remorse she feels, she places a hand on his forearm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyebrows crinkle and, looking physically pained, he brings his hand up and on top of hers. They sit like this until duty calls and Reese arrives for night shift. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riyo sits in the living room while Reese stands by the door. Woods is standing outside and she knows the other trooper - Aero? - is somewhere high, sniper rifle trained on their position in case another sniper tries to take her out again. She should be comforted, but really she just wants Fox’s easy companionship back. His presence nearly commands tranquility. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Digging through her bag - she still needs to practice her state of the union address - she realizes that she left it in her office. With a groan, she drops her bag to the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something the matter, Senator?” Reese asks, his first attempt at conversation since Fox left hours ago. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I left my datapad with my speech on it in the office,” she sighs. She hates giving speeches; she doesn’t like everyone’s attention on her, but this is her duty. She finally has an answer to the question that has been torturing her for weeks and she intends to include it in her address.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She is not going to vote for the agriculture bill. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This war will not last forever and she will not leave a wake of desolation on her planet because the Chancellor needs more rations for the troops he keeps sending out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woods and I can arrange to take you back to the office, ma’am, if that is necessary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” She asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then let us go.” She stands, collecting herself for a late night trip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox sits in his office watching the security tape of the assassin another time. It just doesn’t make sense. The person is shorter than him, thin, but humanoid. Possibly a woman? But what strikes him is that they stay there after the shot is fired. They don’t move once they realize they miss the shot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unless, they intended to miss it? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unless they aren’t afraid of getting caught? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a sigh, he pauses the tape and goes back to signing various forms. Filling out more paperwork. Reading reports of supposed Separatists in the city. So far, just this week, 235 people have spotted Count Dooku - maybe he should be concerned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He decides that is future Fox’s problem. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hears the explosion before his commlink chirps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Commander! Commander! A second attempt has been made!” He hears Aero shout. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox shoots up from his desk. “Where is the senator?” He demands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Unknown at present, sir.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you so much for your continued support!! &lt;3 &lt;3 &lt;3 </p><p>Also, this chapter title is from my favorite book/movie - Cloud Atlas. <br/>"What is an ocean, but a multitude of drops?"</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Rough Edges</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ringing. All she can hear is a high pitched ringing. She blinks several times, but the world around her is spinning at dizzying speeds. The next thing she knows she is being hauled to her feet and drug out of the parking garage. She can’t see by who, but she has a good feeling that it is a trooper. Whoever it is though, is behind her with his forearms under her armpits, pulling her backwards and away from the explosion. She had forgotten a few datapads. Reese and Woods volunteered to take her, but they wanted to check everything out first. Woods went to go check her personal speeder and now… now… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolls over, falling out of the trooper’s grasp, and vomits. The ringing won’t stop and her head. Oh </span>
  <em>
    <span>stars</span>
  </em>
  <span> her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator?” A trooper shouts at her. Aero? Or Reese? It could be both of them for all she knows. The world is swooping in a nauseating fashion. “Senator?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” she answers, but is dimly aware that she is shouting. She can hardly hear herself over the ringing in her ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have to go!” He orders, pulling her back to her feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t hear the sniper bolt leave the barrel, but she does feel the spray of blood across her face and watches as the trooper falls. She gasps and stumbles away. Landing on her back, she scrambles backwards. Where? Where is the shooter?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue blaster bolts rain over top of her and suddenly she is scooped up against familiar red armor. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fox</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He carries her to a speeder, where he nearly tosses her in the back, jumps over the door without opening it and takes off into traffic. “Fox,” she slurs. “I’m alright. I’m alright.” Then her world goes dark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>alright. Fox glances in the back where Riyo was sitting up but now lays supine across the bench seat in the back. He can’t focus on that right now. Instead, he weaves through the traffic and speeds through intersections, putting distance between the scene and them. When he finally feels safe enough, he veers to the closest safe house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Parking the speeder, he jumps out and goes to the back. How, exactly, does one wake a Senator who most likely has a concussion? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator?” He calls. “Riyo?” he tries again, but she doesn’t stir. Gently, he shakes her shoulder, but she still lays motionless. They can’t exactly stand out here all night while he tries to rouse her, so instead he sweeps her up, bridal style, and carries her into the safe house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He really hopes she doesn’t mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t weigh much, so he doesn’t find it too difficult to operate the lift or the keypad to get into the safe house. Charging into the barren apartment, he lays her carefully down on the couch and fetches the medkit. She has a small gash above her right eyebrow, the red of her blood turning violet against her blue skin, but some bacta and a bandage will have her right as rain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he yanks off his gauntlets and gloves so that he can slip on medical gloves instead, she finally stirs. “F-Fox?” She blinks at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator, we are in a safe house. Aero managed to get out a distress signal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woods. Reese. Where- where are they?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t want to answer. Her golden eyes are struggling to maintain focus on him, but it’s clear she wants the truth. He could lie, though. Unlike his brothers, Fox is an excellent liar, but he can’t lie to her. She makes him want to be honest, to be good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They didn’t make it, Riyo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears well in her eyes. “What? No. They were just with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shakes his head. “They did their duty, let me patch you up so that it wasn’t in vain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? Oh, yeah.” She falls back, defeated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carefully, he cleans the wound - she only winces a little - applies the bacta, and places the bandage. “I think you might have a concussion.” He states, and digs through the bag to find the anti-concussion medication. He is no medic, but he has seen - and had - enough concussions to safely identify one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted my datapads from my office. They died because I wanted to practice my state of the union speech.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hands freeze in the medbag. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They died because… because I forgot to put them in my bag this afternoon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Don’t think like that.” He pulls off his helmet so that she can look him in his eyes. “They died because there is a sick bastard trying to kill you. They died because some assassin put a bomb on your speeder. They died because it was their duty. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> your fault.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t think about how it would have been him in the morning checking her speeder. He doesn’t think about how he would gladly get blown up for this senator. He would take a blaster bolt for Riyo Chuchi and not even blink an eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finds the concussion medicine and hands it to her with a bottle of water. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… would very much like to clean up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox actually takes her in, besides just assessing her for injuries, and realizes that someone’s, not her own, blood is splattered along her dress and face. The golden headpiece that normally adorns her lilac hair has been lost in the chaos and her, what looks to be handwoven, shawl is shredded in several spots. “There might be spare clothes in here. Let me check.” Peeling off the medical gloves with an elastic snap, he gets up and moves into the bedroom where he raids the closets. Riyo is a small woman and the closest thing he finds to her size is a men’s tunic - a medium, but will probably work? He has no idea. He has a pre-selected wardrobe every day. Snatching a towel from the closet, he returns to the living room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riyo is sitting up, staring catatonically at the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Riyo?” He asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks up. “Fox… I-I’m… I’m not okay.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like a bolt of lightning, he flashes across the floor and kneels in front of her. “Are you hurt?” He scans her rapidly for any injuries he may have missed. He hadn’t checked her for broken ribs how stupid - </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shakes her head. “I… Will you stay? Tonight, I mean. I…” A choked sob falls from her lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His brain goes blank. Wordlessly, he pulls her into a hug. He used to do this all the time for his younger brothers, the ones with battle shock. The first battle of Geonosis was hard for everyone. Every trooper had been put through rigorous training exercises, pretty much since decantment, but some took losses harder than others. He remembers his first night stationed on Coruscant, holding a young trooper who had lost his entire batch. Fox, in a way, had lost his too. They are all still breathing and wreaking havoc - oftentimes to his own dismay - but they haven’t been in the same room together since Kamino. That night he had anchored the young trooper and rubbed his back until the sobs subsided. Now, slowly, he does the same. She doesn’t have broken ribs, no, what she has is much, much worse. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She has memories of men dying in front of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. If you need me to, I’ll stay. Just get cleaned up first, yeah? One thing at a time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pulls back and nods. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Standing, he helps her up and escorts her to the ‘fresher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the door to the ‘fresher whirls shut, Riyo stands in front of the mirror and blearily stares at her reflection. Her vision is improving, less swooping and blurriness, but even with the more stable vision, she can see how disheveled she is. Her hair is wildly askew and over her favorite shawl is a splattering of blood that also covers her right cheek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t hear the shot, but she saw the way his body crumpled instantly. Lifeless. Gone just like that. Would Coruscant mourn? No. Does he have any close brothers? They must hate her if he does… did. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thinks she might hate herself enough right now for all of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What was she </span>
  <em>
    <span>thinking</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Going back to the office to get data pads? In the middle of the night? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For one sickening second, she is glad she went when she did, otherwise it would have been Fox who was caught in the explosion. She’s not certain she would have been able to recover from losing him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the past week, she has gotten used to his omnipresence. Wherever she goes, right beside her is a menacing tower of red. The few senators that got their hackles up by harassing her for her lack of experience have suddenly stopped and she has a feeling it is because of her friend and bodyguard. She knows that he won’t be able to stay by her side forever. After all, the vote is rapidly approaching, but she relishes his calming presence. Like a buoy in rough waters, he is there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t want to think about him leaving after the vote. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hears the ‘fresher door whirl open and he looks up from his data pad, nearly dropping it. Riyo Chuchi is standing at the end of the hall, cream tunic hanging from her delicate frame, hitting her just above the knees. Her normally wavy, mauve hair is a darker shade of purple and pulled straight from the weight of the water. The blood has been wiped clean of her face and she’s beautiful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He mentally kicks himself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what </span>
  </em>
  <span>is he doing? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gawking at the Senator like a damn shiny, that’s what he’s doing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clearing his throat, he asks, “Feeling better?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t say much, just nods. “I think… I am very tired.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stands. The Senator looks like she is barely holding herself upright and he is fully prepared to hurdle the coffee table and catch her if she collapses. “The bedroom is down the hall.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She worries her bottom lip. “And you will be right here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t leave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Straightening herself she gives him a firm nod. “Very well. I will retire then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me know if you need anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hesitates before she turns around and meanders down the hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Screams shatter his fitful sleep and he is up and barreling down the hall, blasters drawn. “Senator?” He calls. Rapidly assessing the sight before him, he re-holsters his blasters and goes to her side. “Riyo?” He calls again. Riyo is sitting up in bed, hunched over her folded up knees, covered in a glistening sheen of sweat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” she wheezes. “Just - Just a nightmare.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He eases himself down onto the side of the bed and asks, “Is there… anything I can do?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes, golden even in the dim light from the hall, look up to him. “Stay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He feels like his brain is wading through molasses. Stay? He already is, he was dozing on the couch just a few moments ago. “W-what?” He sputters. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay… here. I,” she huffs. “I feel so silly saying this, but you calm me down. You make me feel safe. And - and don’t think I’m mandating you. I’m just… asking… as a friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As a friend? “You want me… to stay… in </span>
  <em>
    <span>here </span>
  </em>
  <span>with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods slowly, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth once more. “Would that be okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There are so many protocols that say this </span>
  <em>
    <span>isn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> okay, but he can’t find himself to care. Riyo Chuchi - his </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend </span>
  </em>
  <span>-  is scared and hurting. Someone who isn’t a brother. He has a friend that doesn’t share his face, his blood, his voice. His mind is reeling for so many reasons. “I’m okay.” He answers neutrally. The act in and of itself would </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> be okay. He could be decommissioned, but he himself is okay with it and he has a feeling that this is the question being asked anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Besides, even if everything turns out </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> okay he would gladly be decommissioned for one night with Riyo Chuchi in his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods and slips back under the covers, tucking them up to her chin and looking more serene than a woman who was almost assassinated should. Mauve tendrils spill around the pillow, forming small hearts with their curling waves. Her amber eyes peer up at him as he lays down on top of the covers, trying to calm his breathing. He is laying in bed with a woman - not just any woman, but Riyo Chuchi. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman who talks with him, not at him. The woman who touches him, but not to abuse him. The woman who defends him, not because he would be an expensive asset to lose, but because she </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants</span>
  </em>
  <span> to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fox?” He hears her small voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?” He whispers. He’s afraid if he talks too loud his voice will shatter this moment and wake up. This has to be a dream. Nothing in his short, brutal existence has been this tender, this genuine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you make the images go away?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He considers his answer for a long moment, but he knows he’s not the best person to be answering this. He is still haunted by his own nightmares, of Geonosis, of all the brothers who have died here in his arms just on Coruscant. “You can’t make them go away,” he answers evenly. “You just have to take time and heal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long does it take?” She sounds like she is about to cry and he finally musters the courage to look over at her. She is laying on her side, gazing up at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Depends,” he murmurs. He has to grip his own wrist to prevent himself from running his fingers through her hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The person, it all varies. I know so many brothers haunted by war and others who aren’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Haunted by war?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wants to lie. He wants to tell her that nothing can shake him - he is the stalwart protector of all of Coruscant. He cannot be shaken by something as trivial as a nightmare and a dead trooper crying out in his arms. Crying for a brother who was more than likely also dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She reaches out from under the blankets and caresses his forearm. “I’m sorry. Perhaps… We can heal together?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too,” she smiles, curling closer to his plastoid-covered body. “Good night, Fox.” She doesn’t release his arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good night, Riyo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blinks awake slowly. Her whole body hurts and her head is throbbing. If she didn’t know any better, she would say she has a terrible hangover. Slowly, the memories from the night before begin trickling back to her and she sits bolt upright in bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox is not laying beside her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tossing off the blankets she clambers out into the living area. He is standing in the kitchen, glaring at a datapad, while he sips from a cup of caf. “Fox?” She asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His head immediately snaps up. “You’re awake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She only nods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I made caf, if you want any.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Padding across the coarse carpet, she rasps, “Some caf sounds lovely right now. Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods and pours her a cup. “How much sugar do you add?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiles. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll try it your way and drink it black this morning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He simply shakes his head. “No, no one wants to drink just hot bean water.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You drink hot bean water,” she counters. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No one </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants</span>
  </em>
  <span> to drink it,” he repeats, a small smile pulling at one side of his mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She beams. He hasn’t shaved yet today, and he has dark stubble over his chin and jawbone. She thinks she likes it. “One spoonful, if you don’t mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He does as she requested, spooning one dollop of sugar into her caf and stirring it before handing the ceramic mug to her. They drink in silence and he goes back to glaring at his datapad. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you reading?” She questions eventually, curiosity finally getting the best of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not reading, looking.” He states, his brow still furrowed and takes a long sip of his caf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you looking at?” She asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He glances up at her. “You don’t want to know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you looking at the - the.” She can’t say it. She can’t say the word ‘explosion’, she can’t even say ‘the crime scene’. “Are you looking at what happened last night?” She manages. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods. “It was obviously a premeditated attack. Whoever is after you, wants you more than scared, Riyo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of her name on his lips makes her look up into his eyes. “Why?” She whispers. In the quiet existence of morning, she pushes aside the thoughts of him murmuring her name like a prayer. It is just the two of them in this tiny apartment. She tries not to think of them in bed together mere moments ago, of what could have happened if she were braver, if she listened to the way her heart pounded when he was close. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I had to guess… It is because of your vote. They are probably trying to eliminate your say because they’re scared you're going to vote against what they want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I plan to vote against the GAR rations being grown on Pantora.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He arches an eyebrow. “Really?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods. “Yes. You… You were right. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>are </span>
  </em>
  <span>right. Protecting your kin should always be the priority. If we do not have kinship what do we have? If I am not Pantoran, what am I? My people need me to protect them, even if they cannot see why right now… This war will not last forever and then they will realize why I did what I did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods, but his eyebrows don’t unfurrow. “How many people know your plan to vote this way?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just you and me. I haven’t told anyone yet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pours more caf in his cup and begins pacing the living room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fox?” She asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He holds up his hand and she realizes for the first time that he isn’t wearing any gloves. His hands… She shakes her head. No, she will not be getting on that train of thought. But she </span>
  <em>
    <span>does </span>
  </em>
  <span>wonder what they feel like, whether or not they are calloused. They probably are. Where would the calluses be? She imagines probably wherever his pistols rest in his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was the popular opinion of your vote?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She is pulled from her reverie and can feel a blush darkening her cheeks. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How does everyone think you are voting?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugs. “I don’t know… I think they think I am voting in favor of GAR agriculture because my Chairman said that’s the best decision for Pantora.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods. “I think the assassin is Pantoran. I think they are trying to kill you because they are afraid you are going to ruin Pantora.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what do we do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We let them know how you intend to vote.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me call a few people. We’re going to leak an article.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finally stops pacing, takes a sip of caf and arches an eyebrow at her. “Leak an article.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shrugs. “I leak plenty of articles to protect my senators. It’s not illegal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To her, he seems more caught up on proving the legality of his actions, but she is more interested in the possessive used just then. Taking a step forward, she asks with a smile tugging at her lips, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Your</span>
  </em>
  <span> senators?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sets his cup down and nods. “Yes. It’s my duty to protect you, at all costs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closes the space between them. “And what would you do to protect me, Fox?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would die for you,” he answers without hesitation. His voice is deep and warm like a Pantoran hot spring. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her smile falls. “Perhaps you should try living for me instead,” she murmurs, placing a gentle hand on his armored chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just a clone. I’m replaceable,” he whispers. His hand covers hers on his chest. She was right; there are calluses. What she wasn’t expecting, however, was the warmth of his hands. He feels like the first sip of tea on a cold day, and she finds herself wanting to drink him in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her other hand comes up to touch the stubble on his face. This, too, is rough and while she loves it, she wonders if there is a soft place anywhere on his body, or if he is all rough textures and scar tissue. “You can think that all you want, Fox. You can think you’re not a person, that you’re not deserving of kindness or love… but that is not what </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what do you think?” He whispers, leaning into her touch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That you’re one of a kind.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stand like this for what feels like forever. Unconsciously, she has moved her other hand up to his face as well. Gently stroking her thumbs over his angled cheekbones, she gazes into his deep, dark eyes. Just around his pupil is a small ring of honey, but otherwise they are an endless sea of brown. “Fox?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Riyo?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shudders. Her name sounds too delicious coming from his lips. Standing this close to him, she can hear it perfectly. The way he would moan her name, cry it out like it was his last hope of salvation.  “Can I kiss you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes widen and her heart races. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?” He whispers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She can hear all his unasked, but intended questions. Why him? Why a clone? Why something who isn’t even a person?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because… I like you very much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smile that she has never seen before, blooms on his face. “It would be breaking several, several rules.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will you have to arrest me, Commander?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opens his mouth to respond, and she can tell by the way his lips quirk that he is going to say something playful when his commlink chirps on his wrist. With a heavy sigh, he steps from her touch. “Commander Fox,” he states. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Commander, we have secured the Senator’s apartment once again if she wishes to return.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox looks over to Riyo and she shrugs. She is still wearing the tunic from who knows which senator and she’s fairly certain her hair is matted down on one side from falling asleep with her hair wet. Perhaps she can have Fox sneak her in through the parking garage entrance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Copy that, Puck. I need you and Stride here as soon as possible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes sir!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Duty calls,” Riyo sighs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox retrieves his gloves and gauntlets and gives her a sharp nod. “Always something to be done.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Against all her better judgement, she reaches up onto her tip toes and kisses him on the cheek - which in reality lands more on his jaw because he is inconveniently tall. “Because I still like you, even if responsibilities await us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blushing the color of his armor, he glances down and then back up at her. “I like you too, Senator.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Back in her apartment, Fox triple checks everything to guarantee her safety and then sets to work drafting up a “leaked” article regarding Senator Chuchi’s choice to vote against GAR Agriculture Reform. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A reliable source within the Galactic Republic has it on record that Pantoran Senator Riyo Chuchi plans to vote </span>
  </em>
  <span>against</span>
  <em>
    <span> the bill ordering ration carbohydrate crops to be planted in Pantoran Marshlands. When asked why she plans to vote against the GAR’s needs, she stated that the crops are destructive and will cause a great deal of damage to the Pantoran economy, especially within the next five years. This vote is highly unexpected, but well-awaited as citizens across the galaxy await for their senators to take a stand against this interminable war. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox re-reads his work and sends it off to his source to leak. Just as he settles in to begin reviewing more paperwork, the Senator enters and his breath catches in his chest. No one, not a single person deserves to be as beautiful as she is. She’s breathtaking. Her flowing burgundy dress, combined with another golden headpiece makes her eyes appear even more amber than usual. “The Chancellor has requested my presence, we should depart as soon as possible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shoving his helmet on his head, mostly to prevent himself from gawking </span>
  <em>
    <span>again</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he nods and stands. “Yes, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator, Commander, please come in,” Chancellor Palpatine grins as the Pantoran and Clone enter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chancellor, it is lovely to see you.” Riyo glides into the room and sits in the chair offered to her. Fox stands behind her, arms tucked behind him in formal parade rest. “To what pleasure do I owe this summance?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If possible, Palpatine’s smile broadens. Fox stamps down the wave of nausea washing over him. “I simply wanted to inquire about your safety. Is the Commander living up to his rank?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More so. He has done everything both flawlessly and professionally. I could not have asked for a better bodyguard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is wonderful to hear. And how is your decision to vote on the Agricultural Support Act?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chuchi sits straighter. “I am going to vote against it, Chancellor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because it is not what is right for my people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chancellor turns red. “And what, pray tell, has convinced you to shirk your duty to the republic?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chuchi leans forward, staring down the Chancellor like she had done to Fox a mere two weeks ago. Under his helmet, he can’t help but smirk. That’s his Senator, fearless and tougher than beskar. “I am not shirking my duty to the Republic. I am protecting my people because protecting them is the most important thing someone in my position can do. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Especially </span>
  </em>
  <span>if they have the power to do so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” the Chancellor steeples his fingers. “And who gave you such a naive notion?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox winces under his helmet and Riyo hesitates. When she does speak, her voice is soft, “Commander Fox did, your excellency.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There he goes. His short life, brought to an end by having an opinion. He can practically feel the decommissioning needle being stabbed into his neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did he now?” He sits back in his chair, shooting Fox a quick glare. “I didn’t know clones were experts in agricultural politics. Commander, what do you know of the production of rations in the Galactic Republic?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That they could probably include some flavor</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Fox clears his throat and stands impossibly straighter. “Nothing, sir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Palpatine turns his steely gaze back to the Senator. “Nothing. See? Perhaps you should only listen to the Commander in terms of your safety and </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>your political decisions.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“With all due respect, your excellency, my mind has been made up. This war will not last forever and I refuse to let my people destroy their only way of income for one batch of ration-carbs that can be grown elsewhere and with less detrimental impact to the environment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I see,” Palpatine nods. “Very well then, I won’t keep you. I understand you have a state of the union address to rehearse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, your excellency.” Riyo rises from her chair and Fox is right behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Darth Sidious stands at the Chancellor’s desk, glaring into the commlink. “I want her dead. I want them both dead. Clearly CC-1010 has become too much of a thinker. I don’t need free men in my Guard. Fix this. Fix it now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, my lord,” replies the assassin. </span>
</p><p><span>Sidious has plans for everything, every betrayal and every new alliance. What he had not planned for, however, was the betrayal of a </span><em><span>clone</span></em><span>. No. This simply won’t do. Palpatine needs Chuchi's vote so that he can secure ration cubes for his future galactic empire. He had paired her with Commander Fox, his most trustworthy trooper, to convince her of </span><em><span>why</span></em> <span>this was necessary. Apparently, the Commander had other ideals.</span></p><p>
  <span> Apparently, he was not as trustworthy as he seemed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This could be easily corrected with a blaster bolt and the correct amount of credits. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wow! Thank you all so much for your continued support! It seriously means so much to me! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. You Never Hear the Bullet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“May I ask a favor from you?” Riyo asks Fox. They sit in her apartment, like usual, except instead of her sitting in her chair, she sits next to him on the couch. If their hands brush every once in a while, neither pays any mind and if they scoot a little closer, this also goes unnoticed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always,” he responds, turning to face her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May I practice my speech with you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quickly, she rises and stands on the other side of the coffee table. “Okay,” she shakes out her shoulders and holds her datapad out in front of her. “I cannot fully express my feelings about being here today. Ever since I was a little girl, raised in the marshlands of Pantora, I have dreamed of serving you. Now, as I stand before you, having served a complete standard year in this galactic office, I am filled with pride. In my one year in office, I have learned more than I ever thought I could, I have grown more as a Senator, but most importantly, I have grown more proud of my heritage. We Pantorans have always worked tirelessly in our marshes to build cities and communities that rival that of some of the core worlds. I am proud of us. I am proud to be Pantoran.” She pauses and takes a breath. Fox has leaned back on the couch, one arm tossed over the back, his legs spread out in front of. Her heart lurches and she looks back to her datapad. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I speak today, as the Galactic War rages on, to tell you that this war will not last forever. We must have faith. We must keep our faith in the Republic and in Democracy. Our Galactic Army consists of some of the finest soldiers ever to exist and they fight tirelessly to protect you from the Separatists who wish to bring demise to the Democracy we know and love. We must continue to serve and support them. However,” she takes another breath. “We must not sacrifice ourselves. There will be a life to live after this war and while it does not seem so now, we have a bright future to look forward to. Our economy is prospering, and we saw the highest revenue in years due to our agricultural exports. This is exactly why I have decided to vote against the GAR Agricultural Reform Act.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pausing again, Riyo takes a breath, glances at Fox - he has leaned forward now, as if he is hanging from each syllable - and continues. “The GAR Agricultural Reform Act benefits the GAR and only the GAR. While we must do our part to preserve the life of our republic, this is not it. We must not sacrifice our livelihood for the next five years because the Republic needs rations now. No, what we need is peace. Fox.” He is looking at her with absolute reverence. Feeling a smile tug at the edge of her lips, she asks, “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re beautiful.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her smile erupts and she giggles, covering her face with her hand. Butterflies whirl around in her stomach and she can hardly stop herself from jumping across the table and kissing that dopey look from his face. He, on the other hand, looks mortified - like he just walked in on his grandmother dressing… not that he would have a grandmother to see in such a revealing position. “So are you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scoffs. “Literally the entire GAR has my face.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you are you. You are different. You’re Fox.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He arches an eyebrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moving across the room to reclaim her seat beside him on the couch, she questions, “Do all of your brothers have that scar on your chin?” She reaches up and runs her thumb across the puckered skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smile begins on his face and she loves it. He scowls so much, she loves seeing how happiness colors him. “No, they don’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See? Different.” She drops her hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only you would be able to tell the difference,” he murmurs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of your scar. How did you manage to get a scar on your chin?” If he must always wear his helmet - endearingly termed ‘bucket’, he had informed her - when he is on duty, then wouldn’t it be impossible for him to get a scar on his face?  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rolls his eyes. “Sparring accident when I was a cadet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I sense a story behind that.” She shifts back, realizing that she is very much crowding his personal space. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My one batchmate and I are very close and he hates losing. When I was winning a particular sparring match, he bit me.” Fox lets out a long suffering sigh. “He’s such an idiot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who is it?” She grins. She hadn’t known it before, but she loves this. She loves hearing stories from his childhood, even if he was just training to be a soldier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She loves </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She finds that she is not troubled by that sudden revelation.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Commander Wolffe of the 104th.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said you two are close, but you have batchmates. What does that mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well you know, we aren’t… born. Not really. They decant us in batches.” He waves his hand vaguely. “Batchmates. Anyway. I was part of the Command batch, we’re engineered to be better than a regular trooper, smarter, faster, stronger. In my batch were Commanders Bly, Cody, Wolffe, and Ponds. We trained and ran drills together. Wolffe and I got stuck together a lot, so we ended up being a lot closer than the others.” Fox shrugs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m an only child. Having so many brother sounds… like fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A ghost of a smile flickers over Fox’s lips. “Yeah… it has its upsides for sure. You’d like Wolffe though, he’s gruff and a little bitter but that’s just because he lost an eye, otherwise he’s a good brother. He’s actually supposed to be shoreside soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe we can invite him to dinner,” Riyo offers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh I dunno. I’ll probably be back to prison duty and chasing down criminals by the time Wolffe gets here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riyo looks down at the carpet, suddenly remembering that their week is rapidly coming to an end. Her union address and vote are tomorrow, meaning that in less than twenty-four hours she will only see Fox when he guards senate gatherings or whenever the senate needs an escort. “Fox?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we still be friends after tomorrow?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes snap up to hers. “Yeah,” he nods slowly. “Yeah, we can still be friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, good,” she nods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox stands in his office with multiple troopers and a blueprint of the senatorial chamber in which Riyo will be giving her address. The schedule is for her to give her address and then a standard hour later she will be in the general assembly hall where she will vote against the agriculture bill. She will need a protective detail at all times. Fox will be down on the stage with her while they live stream the address to the people of Pantora. Puck and Stride will be on either side of the stage while a handful of troopers stand in the crowd and at the exits. Two man teams will patrol the scaffolding of the hall to ensure no one sneaks up there for a sniper shot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ride to the hall will be in an armored speeder with two decoys, one ahead and one behind them. Upon exiting the speeder, she will be positioned in the center of a full diamond formation - commonly referred to as a full trooper wall. Fox will lead her while five men stand around her, blocking her from view and from harm. The same will be done upon leaving the hall. Senator Chuchi will be escorted out of the back and into the lift by five troopers, Fox leading the way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the general assembly hall, where everyone will take their vote, Senator Chuchi will address her peers one last time regarding the benefits - or lack thereof - of the GAR Agriculture bill and then the voting will commence. Once the votes have all been collected and properly counted twice, they will escort her home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then it’s over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s not upset by that. No, of course he isn't. He guards all of Coruscant, he constantly schedules prison details and senatorial escorts, he has overflowing stacks of datapads that need to be signed and sent off. No, he doesn’t have time to serve as Riyo Chuchi’s personal bodyguard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So why does it feel like he has been punched in the gut? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator,” Fox enters her apartment, leaving her entourage outside. “Are you ready?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Upon hearing him speak, she turns around, and he is instantly grateful for his bucket when his jaw falls open. The way her mauve hair is pinned back, but still falls in mesmerizing waves, the way her eyes match her ornate hairpiece, the way her deep purple dress hugs her in elegant folds with a bright red sash across her chest- everything, all of her, she’s perfect. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I look okay?” She asks, giving him a small twirl so that he can see her entire outfit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes ma’am,” he chokes out. She looks infinitely better than ‘okay’. She’s beautiful. Gorgeous. Breathtaking. There isn’t an adjective known to man that properly encapsulates her.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wore practical shoes though, you should be proud.” She hoists up the front of her dress to reveal flat-soled boots instead of her expensive heels she had frequently complained about in the past two weeks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am proud,” he allows himself to smile. Even if she can’t see it, he hopes his voice relays his appearance well enough. “I like the red too,” he nods towards her sash. </span>
</p><p><span>“Oh this?” She runs her fingers down the silk and steps towards him. He feels his heart rate pick up and he is vaguely aware of his HUD sending him recommendations to</span> <span>fucking </span><em><span>breathe</span></em><span>. “I thought I should represent the men who have risked so much to protect me.” When she looks up at him, her eyes instantly find his through his visor. “Plus, red has become my favorite color.”</span></p><p>
  <span>“Funny,” he whispers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Stupid, stupid Fox. You fucking idiot</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Blue has become mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The smile that spreads across her face is indescribable. It’s the most beautiful sight in the entire galaxy. “May we?” She holds out her hand and he lets her settle it in the crook of his arm. Escorting her out of the apartment, he comes to a painful realization. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He loves Riyo Chuchi. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riyo is loaded into the back of a transport with Fox and Puck. Stride and the Driver sit up front; she can’t remember his name. Unable to resist her nervous tick, she rings her hands, hoping to get out all of her nervous energy before she has to speak in front of millions of people. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s the plan again?” She asks, confidently knowing the plan. They’ve gone over it multiple times now; she even read the security briefing, but she desperately needs a distraction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Fox is frustrated, he doesn’t show it. Instead, a vision of calm, he repeats himself probably for the hundredth time today. “Once we get to the Senate Building we will exit the speeder and you will be placed in the full trooper wall. We will escort you up to the hall where you give your speech. While you’re on stage, I’ll be off stage to your right with Puck. Stride and Yeah-Yeah will be off stage on the left. We’ll have troops patrolling the crowd and one in a sniper nest. When it’s over, you will be escorted in the same formation to the General Assembly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods. This isn’t so bad. It is just her and Fox spending all day together once again, nothing to worry about. Nothing at all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her stomach twists and she forces herself to take a deep breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They arrive at the Senate Building and Fox is the first one out of the speeder. He speaks to the other troopers with short, precise hand signals and in a tone of voice that makes her knees weak he calls, “Troopers, fall in!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone snaps around her so tight she can’t see between their bodies. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she understands why it is called the full trooper wall. She is completely surrounded by a wall of plastoid. However, she’s not certain she likes being here. Not because she doesn’t like being this close to the clones. No, because she’s afraid that they will be forced to die for her and she hates the idea of that. Reese and Woods dying was enough to kill a piece of her soul. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inside the hall, Fox gives two crisp hand signals and the wall disperses, leaving him and Puck with her. “You go on stage in ten standard minutes. Are you ready? We can call this whole thing off if you’re uncertain.” He speaks clearly and succinctly, but not in a way meant to belittle her. The past two weeks she had gotten to see him as just </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fox</span>
  </em>
  <span> - a man, not a clone, not a battle hardened warrior. What she is experiencing right now is </span>
  <em>
    <span>Commander</span>
  </em>
  <span> Fox. He is doing his duty so that she may, in turn, do her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. No, Commander. I can do this. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to do this.” She takes a deep breath and he nods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A couple Senatorial aids come up and, only after being stopped and frisked by Fox and Puck, begin attaching the microphone to her as well as touching up her makeup so that she looks her absolute best. Her face is about to broadcasted all across Coruscant and Pantora, after all. Her stomach churns and she sucks in another deep breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One minute, Senator,” one of the aids announces. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks up to Fox. “You’ll be here, right?” She whispers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got your six,” he murmurs with a slight nod. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The countdown starts and she walks on stage. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lights are blinding. And hot. Smiling, she waves as she walks on stage and settles herself behind the podium. She can see vague outlines of the people in the crowd and she sees a few familiar shapes of troopers among them. Fox won’t let anything happen to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She is safe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“People of Pantora and the Galactic Senate of the Republic, I cannot fully express my feelings about being here today. Ever since I was a little girl, raised in the marshlands of Pantora, I have dreamed of serving you. Now, as I stand before you, having served a complete standard year in this galactic office, I am filled with pride. In my one year in office, I have learned more than I ever thought I could, I have grown more as a Senator, but most importantly, I have grown more proud of my heritage. We Pantorans have always worked tirelessly in our marshes to build cities and communities that rival that of some of the core worlds. I am proud of us. I am proud to be Pantoran.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The crowd erupts in thunderous applause. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aero, how’s the air up there?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just fine, sir.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lake, how's the crowd?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing suspicious, Commander.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox lets himself take a breath. She’s just finished the opening section of her speech. She has about another thirty minutes left… and that’s without the applause. But she deserves every standing ovation she’s earning. Standing up there, the lone figure on the stage, lights illuminating her in an ethereal glow, she looks like the embodiment of a spark that can ignite a revolution. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riyo Chuchi is the change the galaxy needs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He goes back to scanning the crowd. The lights are casting funny shadows, but when he adjusts his HUD, he can see everyone just fine. Including the ARC with his pauldron attached to the wrong shoulder. At first, he thinks it is Rex - stupid bastard always has the worst timing; of course he would show up and have the 501st run amok when Fox was finally starting to feel a semblance of </span>
  <em>
    <span>peace</span>
  </em>
  <span> - but that isn’t possible. Rex isn’t an idiot - he knows where his pauldron goes, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> the 501st is still deployed deep in the outer rim. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then he sees the rifle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without a second of hesitation, he charges out onto the stage. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They say you never hear the bolt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is exactly why I have decided to vote </span>
  <em>
    <span>against </span>
  </em>
  <span>the GAR Agricultural Reform Act,” Riyo announces firmly as the crowd stands, erupting into her fourth standing ovation. Then she is tackled to the ground. Her head hits the marble of the stage and she feels a trooper covering her from head to toe. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not just any trooper, Commander Fox. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The audience is screaming. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fox.” She sits up, gasping. She can hardly hear her own voice over the chaos of Senators fleeing the hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t move. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fox,” she urges again, rolling him over so that he is on his back. Dead center in his chest is a perfectly round hole of a blaster bolt. “No!” She places her hands over the wound, already sizzling from the heat of the bolt. “Fox! No!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator!” Puck is covering her, trying to haul her away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! Fox!” She shrieks. She tears off his bucket and, keeping one hand on his wound - someone once said applying pressure was important to chest wounds, right? - she moves her other hand up to his face. “Fox! Stay with me, please!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His deep brown eyes find hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks scared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator!” Puck is heaving her up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! Fox! No!” She fights against his grasp and grabs her Commander’s hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He squeezes and then rasps one word, “Go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then his eyes close and his hand falls away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The world falls silent. Puck hauls her away, but she is still desperately clutching for her Commander. She howls with anguish. This can’t be. This can’t be happening. Not Fox. Not him, no. He’s irreplaceable. He’s one of a kind. He’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fox</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Puck drags her, kicking and screaming to the speeder and they are rushing her off to another safe house. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The world is blurry and the pain in his chest is blinding. He can’t breathe. Where’s Riyo?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need a medic! The Commander is down! Repeat, the Commander is down!” Then a trooper is on him, pushing down on his chest, trying to keep him from dying. In any other instance, he would have told them to go, to just let him die. But, for the first time in his entire life, he is terrified of dying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finally has something to live for. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Riyo?” He manages, clutching the wrist of the trooper keeping pressure on his wound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Puck and Stride have her, sir. They’re taking her to a safehouse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can feel his vision tunneling. He doesn’t want to die, not now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything goes black. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Begrudgingly, she walks on her own volition into the safe house. It’s barren, just like the others to which she has been, but this time it’s different. She’s with Sergeant Puck instead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Senator?” He asks tentatively, pulling his bucket from his head. She’s surprised to see that it has been dyed just as red as Fox’s armor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine, Puck,” she rasps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you like some water?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, mechanically, she nods. She stands in the living room, arms wrapped tightly around herself. When she goes to wipe the tears she can feel trickling down her face, she nearly vomits. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His blood is on her hands, staining her fingers violet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ma’am?” Puck holds out the water for her, but she is too busy glaring at her hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to vote,” she rasps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think that’s safe, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sergeant, will you answer a question for me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I can, ma’am.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would you die for?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My brothers,” he answers instantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel the same way about my people. I’m their sole protector from the legislative evils this war seems to bring. Take me to vote.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But ma’am-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What would the Commander do?” She interjects. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks down at his feet and then back up to her. “He would protect us with his life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then let me do the same for my people.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Senatorial chambers are filled with troopers and their tinny voices over wrist communicators as well as spooked Senators and their murmurings of this morning’s events. The midday sun illuminates the halls as Senator Riyo Chuchi marches on, Puck and Stride at her flanks. She is on a warpath. Anyone caught in her way, leaps out of it lest they be shoulder checked by a trooper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today is not the day to ridicule her for her lack of experience or her naivety. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three good men have died because of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their deaths will </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>be in vain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She steps into her pod as the assembly hall fills in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure about this Senator?” Stride asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have never been more certain about anything in my life, Stride. Today, we start a revolution.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both of her troopers nod and the general assembly meeting commences. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Due to Senator Chuchi’s unfortunate absence,” the Supreme Chancellor begins. “We will move straight to a vote.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually, Chancellor,” she presses the button to move her pod down. She had cleaned her hands of Fox’s blood, but there are still stains on her silk sash and robes. She has long misplaced her golden headpiece, and she knows her hair is probably a windswept mess. “I am here to give my opening statement.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face blanches. “Oh how wonderful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t miss the disdain in his voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My fellow Senators, I implore you to vote against this bill. The GAR Agricultural Reform Act is not reform, it is tyranny. It is forcing my people to sacrifice their only livelihood, our main source of income to the GAR. Have we not sacrificed enough? At what point do we choose to stop dying for the Republic and start living for it?” She is shouting now and the chamber is eerily silent. “We live and breathe democracy, if we did not, we would not be here. Forcing an entire planet of people to give up their livelihood for crops to feed the influx of troops we should not be sending out is </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> democracy. My people depend upon me to make the right decision, and I am here trying to do right by them. Yet assassins have tried to silence me and I will not! I will not lay down and let my people suffer for the sake of a war we need not be fighting! I will not let more innocent people die! The time to take a stand is now! Vote against Agricultural Reform!” Her chest heaves and then the hall erupts in applause and boos alike. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I may say so, Senator, that was very well done,” Puck mutters from beside her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She collapses into her seat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox is dead and the world is spinning and she just delivered the speech of a lifetime. She imagines that he would be proud of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then I suppose we will move to a vote,” The Supreme Chancellor announces. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riyo casts her vote immediately and sits back. There is nothing to do now, but wait. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sergeant Puck?” A tinny voice comes over his comm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go for Puck,” he speaks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good news. Commander Fox is in stable condition. Crotchety bastard is going to live to fight another day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She buries her head in hands and sobs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Either the afterlife looks a lot like the medbay, or he is still alive. Fox tries to sit up only to be pushed back down. Glaring at the gloved hand - no doubt a trooper’s - he follows it up, up, up until he sees a familiar face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wolffe?” He wheezes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, you stupid bastard. I just docked and got a comm saying your dumb ass jumped in front of a blaster bolt to save some fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>senator</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“T’s my job,” he slurs. The pain meds are </span>
  <em>
    <span>heavy</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He doesn’t feel any pain, which is only a little concerning. Looking down at himself, he sees bandages wrapped around his chest and his right arm is secured in a sling to keep him from aggravating his wound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wolffe shakes his head. “No you’re job is to protect Coruscant, you suicidal maniac.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re one to talk,” he mumbles, recounting several tales of Commander Wolffe doing plenty of stupid things to save his men or General. “Plus I love her.” The words fall out of his mouth before his brain catches up with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Wolffe hisses, leaning forward. “Are you fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>insane</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Just suicidal, ‘parently.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, no kidding,” Wolffe huffs, falling back in his chair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did they catch it on video?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did they catch me being shot on video?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wolffe rolls his eyes, “Yeah. I’ve already sent it to the command chat. Rex says you guys can be scar buddies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, I don’t wanna match Rex in anyway. The man’s got a death wish.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So do you, apparently.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They fall silent and Fox dozes off. “Hey Wolffe?” He mumbles, just before sleep claims him.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks for sitting with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything for you, idiot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fox drifts back off with a smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riyo barrels through the halls of the medical complex. Upon seeing a trooper at the help desk, she skids to a halt. “Excuse me, trooper?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, ma’am?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you tell me where Commander Fox is being held?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, third floor, room 3080.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t even say thank you before tearing down the hall and to the elevator. Bouncing on her toes, she counts the floors until the door unhurriedly slides open. Then she is back to racing down the halls. Finding 3080, she mashes the buttons and the door whirls open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is already someone in the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A trooper - a commander, she thinks due to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>kama</span>
  </em>
  <span> attached to his belt - is sitting with his elbows on Fox’s bunk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello?” She asks when he doesn’t bother to look her way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I help you?” He spits, snapping his head towards her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He is missing an eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wolffe?” She asks hesitantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Commander</span>
  </em>
  <span> Wolffe,” he clarifies, standing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Riyo swallows hesitantly and nods. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Fox told me about you two as cadets.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face softens slightly and he looks down to his brother. “Yeah, stupid idiot and I have been through a lot together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tears start welling in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry he got shot because of me. I-Is he going to - to?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wolffe crosses over to her and puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “He’ll be alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The breath that she had been holding rushes out in a strangled sob. “Good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wolffe eyes her and then glances to Fox and back to her. “I hope you know how much you mean to him, Senator.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widen. How much she means to him? She had hoped. She had seen the way he looked at her - she isn’t blind. But some part of her, some deep insecure part, had thought he couldn’t care for her like she did for him. How could he? She is the reason why Reese and Woods died. She is part of the institution that keeps sending his people out to be slaughtered.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she had hoped. She had hoped because he had said he liked her, he called her beautiful, he looked at her as if she had hung the moons and stars in the sky. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… No - well, I,” she sucks in a deep breath and exhales slowly so that she can actually assemble some sort of coherent sentence. “He means a great deal to me,” she whispers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now it is Wolffe’s turn to look shocked. “Riyo, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He straightens and slides his helmet over his head. “I’ll trust you to watch out for him then alright, lil sister?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, no, he was talking about how he was looking forward to seeing you all week. You can’t just leave!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hears him chuckle and he punches her in the arm. “Believe me, he doesn’t want to wake up to my ugly mug again. He’s been coming in and out. The sedatives they have him on are pretty strong. Don’t worry, I’ll be here for a week - that’s plenty of time for him to get tired of me.” And then he is out the door, leaving Riyo standing there staring at the bedridden commander. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Numbly, she falls into the chair that Commander Wolffe had just been occupying. She takes up Fox’s hand and is positively delighted at the way it feels in her own. His hand is so much larger than hers, his fingers both longer and thicker. His palm and fingers are calloused from a lifetime of manual labor and she can tell that these hands have only known pain. Tenderly, she holds his palm in one hand and with her other she draws delicate lines down each finger, over his knuckles. The deep copper of his skin is something to behold and she loves the way it contrasts her own cool blue. Lost in thought, she quits drawing lines and instead rests her hand on top of his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm, don’t stop,” he mumbles, his eyes still closed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fox,” she breathes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opens his eyes and rolls his head to her. “How’d the vote go?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The GAR Agricultural Bill was vetoed by a little under 60 percent. It wasn’t a large victory, but it was a victory nonetheless.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. M’glad,” he closes his eyes. “These pain meds… are real fuckin’ strong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well you’ve just been shot in the chest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Worth it,” he slurs and lolls his head over to the side so that he can look at her again. “I’d take a bolt any day to protect the people I love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart stops. “Y-you love me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a split second he almost looks hurt. “How could I not?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opens her mouth to speak and then closes it again. He patiently watches her lips and slowly, the hand that she is holding inches up her arm and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. “How could I not love someone as kind as you?” He whispers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leans into his touch and places her hand over top his. “And how could I not fall in love with someone as selfless as you?” She turns her head and presses a gentle kiss to the inside of his wrist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were right,” he murmurs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About?” She kisses his wrist again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“About living for something.” He tries to sit up, but hisses in pain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She moves from the chair and perches on the side of the bed. “Don’t move, you’re still hurt.” She notices then that his right arm is wrapped tightly against his chest. She pushes away the dark thoughts of how closely he had danced with Death. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to live for you,” he confesses, taking up her hand again. “With you, by you, around you. I want to exist in whatever world you create.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beaming, she leans forward, lightly brushing her lips against his. They’re chapped and rough - something she is not surprised by. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I’ve died,” he whispers against her lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why is that?” She kisses him delicately again and his good hand trails over her cheek bones, across her markings. His eyes flicker from one feature to another, taking in everything, like he’s committing her to memory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is no way that this is happening.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She kisses his lips, then each of his cheeks and the tip of his nose. “Rest assured that it is. I am here with you. I am kissing you. And I am hopelessly, irrevocably in love with you, Fox.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well in that case,” his hand snakes around to the back of her head and he pulls her down for another, deeper kiss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is a lot that is uncertain about the future, there is a war going on, an assassin on the loose, and a chancellor who keeps taking more and more democratic powers for himself, but in this instant everything is fine. Everything is more than fine, actually, because Riyo Chuchi is in the arms of a man that loves her and she knows that so long as they are together everything is going to be okay. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>More than okay, actually. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I seriously cannot thank you all enough for the love and support I've received while writing this. You are the true heroes! &lt;333</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first TCW fic so let me know if anything seems funky and I will fix it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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